The Writing Process and the
Rhetorical Context
Technical Writing
ENGL 3153
Scott Hale
Levels of Composing
Situational Analysis
 Discovery Process
 Arrangement
 Drafting and Revising
 Editing
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First Level of Composing
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Situational Analysis
– What is the situation which causes
the writer to compose the document?
What is the purpose of the document?
 What is the document’s intended
audience?
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Purpose
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What is the writer’s primary purpose?
– Request information?
– Respond to questions?
– Reporting results?
– Describing a process?
– Recommend?
– Persuade?
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Often, these purposes intermix.
Audience and Audience
Analysis
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What is the relation between writer and
recipient?
– Superior? Customer? Peers?
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What knowledge does the recipient
have about the subject matter?
– Middle management? Technician? General
public?
Problem Audiences
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Multiple Audiences
– Many documents will be read by more than
one individual.
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These individuals may have different needs,
knowledge, and goals.
Superiors who have little knowledge of
the subject
– One cannot “talk down” to the audience.
Situational Analysis, then
Requires an awareness of why the
document is being written from both the
writer’s and recipient’s points of view.
 Requires knowledge about who will
receive and utilize the document.
 May cause one to choose to write
multiple documents or documents with
sections geared towards certain
audience members.
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Second Level of Composing
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The Discovery Process
– Research done
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In the lab
In the field
In the library
In response to other documents
Or, in some combination of these
The Discovery Process, then
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Is where the subject matter of the
document is generated.
– In this class, much of the work on this level
has already been done during other
classes.
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Is also where one may need to re-think
or re-shape the material already
gathered so that it will suit the audience
and situation.
Third Level of Composing
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Arrangement
– Putting the subject matter generated during
the Discovery Process into a pattern which
is suitable for the purpose of the document
and for the document’s intended audience.
In the Arrangement Process,
then
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The writer selects a sequence
– a sequence which contains all steps
necessary for the audience
– the writer may find that some steps are
missing and return to the discovery
process to generate them
In the Arrangement Process,
also
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The writer also selects the format
– formal or informal?
– memo or letter?
– short report or multi-level formal report?
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The writer selects the transmission
method
– E-mail? Snail mail? Fax? Inter-office
mail? Hand delivered? Orally presented?
Also a component of
Arrangement
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Time management
– How much time can the writer spend on
the document?
– How quickly does the audience need the
document?
– How long will the document be kept on
file?
– How long will the document be in transit?
Fourth Level of Composing
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Drafting and Revising
– This level includes everything from rough
notes to completed drafts.
– Good writers tend to spend more time on
this level of composing than any other.
– Poor writers tend to spend as little time as
possible on this level of composing.
Drafting, Revising, and
Technical Writing
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This level is the one upon which we will
concentrate the most.
– Since better writers tend to spend more
time on this level, we will break down the
stages which good writers tend to go
through.
– We will learn to spend time more profitably
by learning and practicing the stages which
good writers tend to move through.
Fifth Level of Composing
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When revising ends, and the draft is
being prepared for transmission, editing
comes into play.
– Professional drafts must be pristine, as
flawless as they can possibly be made.
– Working with others is helpful, as fresh
eyes can often catch embarrassing
mistakes.
– One must become one’s own best editor.
The Composing Process
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Situational Analysis
Discovery Process
Arrangement
Drafting and
Revising
Editing
This process is not
necessarily linear.
One may begin with
analysis and move
to discover, then to
arrangement, then
back to discovery, to
drafting, and back to
discovery, etc.
Points to Remember
Spend adequate time on each level of
composing--as time permits.
 Break down tasks--do not try to draft
and discover at the same time.
 Good writers tend to spend more time
with drafting and revising.
 Save editing for the final stage--it is a
waste of time until the document is
completed.
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